Today’s technology revolution is changing the way we interact with our world forever. In its wake, a mammoth trail of c.50m tons of electronic waste (“e-waste”) is produced every year. This is the fastest growing waste stream in the world.

In the U.S., consumers alone dispose of some 3.2 million tons of e-waste annually; more than 80% ends up in the trash, contributing >70% of all toxic metals in U.S. landfills.

Globally, it is estimated that only 13% of e-waste undergoes some form of recycling; an overwhelming proportion of e-waste is dumped in the developing world. Guiyu, China, the international capital of e-waste, receives about 4,000 tons per hour. Due to the toxicity of e-waste and informal recycling methods, over 88% of Guiyu’s population suffer from severe neurological or physiological disorders.